Vehicle wheel



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. DOIG.

VBHIGLB WHEEL. No. 524,059. Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

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W. DOIG.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Patented Aug. 7, 1894.

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` UNITED STATES PATENT y, OEEICE.

WILLIAM Dore, on LONDON, ENcLAND.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,059, dated August7, 1894.

Application filed November 28, 1893. Serial No. L192,317. (No model.)Patented in England April 10, 1893, No. 7,322; in

` France October 18, 1893, No. 233,506, and in Germany October 2l, 1893,No. 75,794.

To allwwm it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM DOIG, a sub- Jectof the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, England, haveinvented certain new sides as an efficient substitute for the pneumatictire used on bicycles and other vehicles for reducing vibration and forincreasing the speed. For this purpose I make the circumference of thehub ofmetal, preferably steel tinned inside, and the sides of exible andairtight materials connecting the central part of the hub or axle withthe circumference of the hub, so as to form between'the rigid metalliccircumference and the center an airtight annular space or spaces filledor to be filled with compressed air (or other elastic material,) and Iprovide means' to prevent the lateral shifting or oscillation of the hubupon the axle, as the vehicle rolls along.

In further describing the invention, reference will be made totheaccompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is an axial section of a hubembodying my invention, while Fig. 2 is a face view of the same, andFig. 3 represents a modification.

A represents the metallic central part or sleeve and B thev metalliccircumference of the hub.

C are the flexible sides. The flexible sides may be made of leather,canvas, or other material or combination of materials combining thenecessary flexibility, elasticity, strength and durability. If the hubisto be filled with compressed air and the sides are not naturallyairtight, they are rendered airtight, for instance by lining them withindiarubber, c, or other airtight material, as in the case representedby the drawings. They have the shape of annular plates or disks, whichmay be dat, conical or bulged, but preferably bulged out- Ward, asshown, this shape being most favorable for supplying the necessaryelasticity by means of compressed air.D The sides are secured to the hubalong their outer edges by means of [langes D D, screws E, E, andannular plates or Washers F, F. They may, however, b'e .secured bymetallic clasps, springs, bolts, rivets, cluthes, or other suitablemeans. At their inner edges, the said flexible sides, 'disks or plates,are secured to the central part A, in a similar manner by means offlanges H, screws I and annular washers J. They may be secured, however,by any of the means described above as applicable tothe outer edge.

' The flanges D may be screwed, brazed, or otherwise secured to thecircumference B, or made of one piece {egtlggthe-same, as shown and, ifnecessary, rendered airtight. The spokes S of the wheell (not shown inFig. 2)

are preferably fixed to a pair of outer flanges CZ made in one piecewith the inner anges D. Each ot' the screws or -bolts for fixing,theflexible-sides to the central part and circumference of the hub may bemade airtight by coating it with adhesive solution or by other suitablemeans. Y

For inating the sides, or filling the hub with compressed air or otherelastic fluid, if required, a suitable valve (or valves) is fitted tothe metallic circumference. This valve or valves may be similarto thoseused for pneumatic tires, and does not form part of my invention. v

' Owing to the flexible connection between the center and thecircumference of the hub, special means must be adopted, to prevent anylateral motion of the hub or its circumference, relatively to the axle,or to keep such motion within given limits, while allowing displacementin a direction radial to` the axle. For this purpose, I fitto the insideof the vmetallic circumference at or near the middle of its length, oneor more guide rings or annular plates L, L, which may or may not beperforated, and to the axle a corresponding number of guide rings orplates M which fit against the annular plates L. The drawbetween thesides of the hub.

In order to reduce the friction between the guide rings, one or more ofthem may be armed with antifriction metal, or with plumbago, soapstone,or other antifriction material, placed in suitable recesses, so as toobtain sliding surfaces similar t0 those used in oilless shaft bearings.If the clear opening of the end ilanges D is less in diameter than theouter guide rings, the latter are composed of several sectors, so thatthey may be easily introduced into the hub.

\ The flexible or elastic sides, whether made of leather or othermaterial, or of a combination of materials, are preferably strongenough, to transmit rotary motion from the axle to the hub, 'which caseis represented by the drawings, but such motion may also be transmittedby other means.

In the drawings N represents the axle orspindle, upon which the hubrolls by means of balls and ball bearings, as usual.

O, O, are flexible washers or packing rings interposed between theindiarubber lining of the leather disks C, and the flanges D, H.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification, in which the hub is iixed on the axleA so as to revolve with the same, the flanges H', and disk M', beingfixed to the axle (or forming part of the same), and the central sleeveor tubular inner part of the hub being omitted.

The lettering of the dierent parts corresponds to that adopted in Figs.1 and 2. P is a protecting cap fixed to the end of the 4axle A by meansof a screw Q, as is the case in many cab wheels. One of the flanges H ismade of one piece with the axle A', and the other is welded to the same.

I am aware, that hollow, elastic'or llexible hubs have been made orproposed before, for instance hubs-which derive their elasticity frommetallic springs, annular indiarubber tubes or a series of hollow rubberballs placed in the interior of the hub. Such hubs are frequentlycombinedwith a sliding joint, either between a rigid circumference andrigid sides, or in the sides which are made of two concentric parts ofmetal adapted to slide upon each other, and in some cases the rotarymotion is transmitted by metallic links; but I do not claim any ofthesedevices.

1. In an air-chambered wheel-hub, the combination of a rigid center anda rigid circumference forming the inner and outer walls of theair-chamber, with ilexible annular plates serving as sides of theannular air chamber and of the hub, each of the said annular plates ying witnesses. of the hub and at the outside to the rigid circumferenceof the same, and adapted to transmit rotary motion between the saidparts, subbeing fixed in the middle to the rigid center stantially asdescribed.

2. In au air chambered wheel hub, the combination of a rigid center anda rigid circumference forming the inner and outer walls of the airchamber, with flexible annular plates serving as sides of the annularair chamber and of the hub, each of the said annular plates beingclamped to the said circumference and center by means of flanges, metalrings and screws, so as to transmit rotary motion, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an air-chambered wheel hub, the combination of a rigid center anda rigid circumference forming the inner and outer walls of the airchamber, with flexible annular plates serving as sides of the annularair chamber and of the hub, and internal guide rings adapted to preventlateral oscillations while allowing radial displacement, the'saidannular plates being fixed in the middle to the rigid center of the huband at the outside to the rigid circumference of the same and adapted totransmit rotary motion between the said parts, and the said chamberbeing made air tight, substantially as described.

4. In an air chambered wheel-hub, the cornbination of a central sleeveadapted to run on an axle, with a rigid casing connected with the spokesand forming around the said sleeve an annular air chamber, flexible annular plates serving as sides of the said air chamber and of the hub, andinternal guide rings adapted to guide the said casing in a planeperpendicular to the hub, the said annular plates being bulged outwardand iixed in the middle to the said sleeve and at the outside to thecasing, and the said air chamber being made air tight and lled withcompressed air, substantially as described. v

5. In an air chambered wheel-hub, the combination of a rigid and airtight casing having outside ila'nges for the spokes and inside flangesfor the sides, with a rigid and airtight central sleeve adapted to runon an axle and provided with flanges for the sides, the saidcasing andsleeve respectively 4forming the outer and inner walls of the annularair chamber, a pair of ilexible and air-tight annular plates forming thesides of the hub and of the air chamber and fixed at their outer andinner edges to the said casing andcentral sleeve respectively, anannular guide fixed to the inside of the said casing between the saidllexible plates, and an annular guide formed on the central sleevebetween the end flangesl of the same, said guides being adapted tooperate together so as to prevent or limit the lateral oscillation ofthe casing relatively to the Sleeve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib- W. DOIG.

Witnesses Unas. ROCHE, HARRY PETER VENN.

